Machine for producing characters.



T. M. LILLBBERG. MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CHARACTERS.

APPLICATION FILED 1330.15, 1911. 1,063,363. Patented June 3, 1913.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

Tl DEMAN M. LILLEBERG'r.

OOGGC DOGO J wmc M T. M. LILLEBERG. momma FOR PRODUCING CHARACTERS.

APPLICATION FILED DBO.15, 1911. 1,063,363. Patented June 3, 1913.

4 SHEETSSHEET 2.

INVENTOI? TIDEMAN M. LILLEBERE WITNESSES: d mfi W ATTORNEY T. M. LILLEBERG. MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CHARACTERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.15,1911.1

1,063,363. Patented June 3, 1913.

4 BHEETE-SHEET 3.

FIG. 6

PIE;- 4-

WITIVESSES: INVENTOR.

TIDEMAN M. 1.1 1.1.easaa 9 A ATTORNEY T. M. LILLEBERG.

MACHINE FOR PRODUCING CHARACTERS.

APPLICATION FILED DEO.15, 1911.

1,063,363. Patented June 3, 1913.

4 SHEETflr-SKEET 4.

FIG. 10

FIG-.12

FIG-.13

INVINTOR. 'TIDEHAN M. LILLEBERG- where some of the reference characters are peculiar to these two figures alone, as these tigurcs are soltttulltlt diagrammatic.

'lhe t'lltlt'itt'ltl producing wires 1 are deir;t -l square in ross section, at; least at the tree ends of the wires, though I do not limit mysclt to any particular shape of the wires. I have illustrated a plurality of wires wht e character forming ends are ar ranged in a rectangular throat 2 as illustrated in Fig. 2. The machine desirably includes more character forming wires than I have illustrated, but the illustration of additional character forming wires has been omitted since the additional wires would render the illustration of the invention too complicated. In practice I desirably employ one hundred wires arranged in ten rows, ten vines to a row. The wires are attached at their front ends to the upper ends of operating levers 3 intermediately pivoted at 4. each lever being connected with but one wire. As the machine is illustrated the lower ends of the levers are adapted each to he engaged by a set of operating bars, each set of operating bars including a main bar 3 and supplemental bars (3, T between which the main bar is sandwiched. 'lhe forward edges of the main and supplemental bars are provided with teeth 8 for engaging certain of the lower bifurcated ends of the character forming levers 3, the teeth of each set of bars, when the bars of such set are normally relatively positioned,

cooperating to actuate one group of character forming levers 3, the grouping of these teeth being altered when the upper bar 6 is shifted with respect, to its companion to enable another group of character forming levers to be operated, while still another redistribution of the teeth may be ettected by shifting the lower bars 7 to enable these teeth which are all carried by the main bar to operate still another group of character forming levers. To the end that thcse'results may be accomplished, themain bar 5 of each group has a tixed line of travel while the supplemental bars (3 and 7 between which the main bar is sandwiched, have pin and Slot connection it with the main bar so that the supplen'iental hat-s may be moved transversely.ot the main bar to ell'ect the re distribution of the teeth jointly presented by a set of bars to the charz'u'tcr forming levers.

It will be seen thati have mounted a supplenu-ntal toothed bar upon and adjustable with re pect to each main toothed bar 2) whereby the groupings ot the levers which are op rated by each main bar may be altered t -uit the characters such levers are to take part in t rming. and while I prefer to adiu it the teeth that. =re thus capable cl" distribution in ditlcrcnt groups for operating 1 ditlcrent grcups ot" haracter forming le l vers by means of bars which supplement the main bar, I do not wish to be limited to such an arrangement. I therefore claim broadly the bar, which I have termed the actuating bar, having means for re-distributing the teeth which it presents to the character forming levers.

The machine is made up of a multiplicity of main bars 5 that are provided with supplei'nental bars 6 and 7, the distinctions between the sets of bars composed of the elemerits 53. t3 and 7 residing, aside from more gecmetrit'ral formation, in the number, location, size and distribution of the teeth 8 whereby the character producing machine may be adapted to form all o't' the characters for the t'ormation of which it is planned.

Each main bar 5 is individual to a key t'uhrum axis being common to all of the key levers) and terminating in a key 12. .\s illustrat d most clearly in Fig. 6, the group ot' train bars 5 which operate the two foremost lower ends of the character producing levers ii int-lose another group of main bars 5 which operate the remaining lower ends cl the character forming levers ,3. The bars cf the llltlt)\lll grcup of main bars .3 are individually a-sociated with corresponding key levers It) through the intcrmediation ot' supplemental lever and link mechanism 13 whereby the bars ot' the inclosing group ot' main bars 1': are pushed upon when they are operated to take part in' the formation of characters. The inlosed or inner group of main bars 5 are perativcly associated with the key levers to which they are individual by means of gotsc necks 14, each individual to such inner bar 5. and each attached at its rear end to a bar 53, the forward end of such goose neck being in link connection with the key lever to which the hat 3 connected w th the same goose neck is individual. The conneci tion ot the goose neck with the key lever to which it is individual is desirably ctl'e led by means of a, link t5. the united ends of the link and goose ne k being guided in their travcl'by means ot a swinging arln lti individual thereto. \Yhen a key lever to which a goose neck individual is depressed, the inner main bar 5 individual to such key leve and goose neck is pulled upon by the goose necleand thereby moved forwardly to perform its function. wing to the attachment of the rear cud ol' such goose neck to such bar. The mean; by which each goose neck 14 is connected with the main bar 3 to which it is individual desirably resides in an car 17 in swinging connection with the reareend ot' the corrcspomling goose Htl'lv'.

In Fig. 9 I have shown on a larger scale the interrelationship ot the main and sup i plemental bars 5, (3 and 7 and the relationlever ltk'havtng lixed fulcrum at 11 (the will be seen from ried ship of these bars to the bifurcated levers which, in this figure, are numbered 30f to 92','the branches of each bifurcated lever havingsimilar characters, these levers re spectively corresponding to the wires marked 30'to 92 inclusive in Fig. I3. It these figures how the main bar may be said to constitute-a bar provided with teeth that are relatively adjustable whereby the relationship of these teeth with the bifurcated levers may be changed in accor ance with the characters to be produced. The bars shown in Fig. 9 are adapted to the formation of the three characters shown in Figs. 10, 11 and 12, namely, small 0,,fignre 9 and capital 0. The other bars of the machine have their teeth so distributed as to form other characters. For the formation of some of the characters the teeth remain in normal relative position whereas for the formation of other characters readjustment of such teeth is necessary. Each main bar itself carries teeth that are integral therewith for operatingthe wires that are employed in common for the formation of all the characters that are to be formed by the teeth of such main bar in. their various relative positions, the balance of the teeth carby the main bars being integrally formed with the supplemental bars that are themselves carried by the main bars.

The invention is illustrated as being embodied in a typewriting machine, to which however I do not wish to limit myself, and when so embodied I desirably adjust the teeth of the bars by means. of shift keys that shift the positions of the supplemental bars 6 and 7 with respect to the bars 5. A shift y 18 operates to shift the supplemental bars 6 while the key 19 serves to shift the supplemental bars 7. The machine may he so designed that when both of the keys l8 and 19 are in normal or idle position, the machine will be adapted to form the small letters .of the alphabet; that when the key 19 is operated the machine will be adapted to the formation of capital letters (the key 18 remaining normal) and when the k y 18 is depressed (the key 19 remaining normal) the machine will be adapted to the formation of numerals and miscellaneous characters such as the dollar sign, punctuation marks, etc. associated with the shift keys 18 and 19 are similar and may be of any well known or desired design, one such design being illus trated in Figs. 4 and 5 where the lower end of the shift key is provided with a catch that engages a holding pawl 20, which holdmg pawl is adapted to be released upon the depression of a release key 21 whereby a coiled spring 22 will operate to'restore the shift key to normal position. .An intermediate portion of each shift key is provided with a cam element that is pressed upon The shift key mechanisms a roller 24 when such shift key is depressed. This roller 24 is carried upon the forward end of a lever 25 whose other end is pivoted. An intermediate portion of the lever 25 is in link connection at 26 with all of the supplemental bars 6 in the case of the shift key 18,while the intermediate portion of the lever 25 belonging to key 19 is in link connect-ion with all of the supplemental bars 7. When a shift key is depressed, its associate lever 25 is moved outwardly against the force of a restoring spring 27 whereby all of the supplemental bars with which it is connected (the bars 6 or the bars 7 according to the actuated shift key) are operated to effect the redistribution of the teeth that are presented to the character forming levers upon the operation of the main bars 5. The link connections effected at 26 between the levers and the groups of supplemental bars (3 and 7 are desirably effected by means of tie bars 28 that are confined to transverse lines of travel and which tie bars 28 are therefore in pin and slot connection 29 with their associate supplemental bars 6 or 7, which pin and slot con nection is of such a character as to permit the forward and backward movements of the supplemental bars while forcing transverse movement of the supplemental bars when the tie bars 28 are moved transversely. The pin and slot connections 9 permit of transverse movement of the supplemental bars 6 and 7 with respect to the main bars 5 but force movement of the supplemental bars forward and back upon corresponding movements of the main bars.

In the specification and claims I have used the term wire in the broad sense of elongated character producing elements irrespective of their shapes in cross section and whether or not they are completely metallic.

While I have herein shown and particularly described the preferred embodiment of my invention, I do not wish to be limited to the precise details of construction shown as changes may readily. be made without departing from the spirit of my invention, but

. aving thus described the invention I claim as new and desire to secure by Let ters Patent the following 1. Apparatus of the character described including a plurality-0f relatively movable character forming wires; a toothed member for selecting and moving wires from among the said plurality of wires to form'a character; and means for re-grouping the teeth of said toothed member to enable the selection of wires of another grouping for the production of another character.

2. Apparatus of the character described including a. pluralit a a t ming Wires; and, a toothed member for selecting" and moving from'among the said plurality of wires to of relatively movable form a character, the teeth of said member including a plurality of relatively movable character forming wires; and a toothed member for selecting and moving wires from among said plurality ofwires to form a character, said toothed member including relatively adjustable toothed bars whereby the re-grouping of the teeth of said toothed member may be effected to enable the selection of wires of another grouping for the production of another character.

5.'Apparatus of the character described including a plurality of relatively movable character forming wires; a toothed member for selecting and moving wires from among said. plurality of wires to form a character, said toothed member including relatively adjustable-toothed bars whereby the re-grouping of the teeth of said toothed member may be effected to enable the selection of wires of another grouping for the produc- "tion of another character; key mechanism for'movingsaid toothed member to cause it to actuate character forming wires; and

shifting mechanism for shifting the bars comprising said toothed'member with respect to each other to change the grouping of the teeth ofthe toothed member.

6. Apparatus of the character described including a plurality of relatively movable character forming wires; a toothed member for selecting and moving wires from among said plurality of wires to form a character, said toothed member including relatively adjustable toothed main and supplemental a s whereby the 'regrouping of the teeth of'l tid toothed member may be etl'ected to enaole the selection of wires of another grouping for the production of another character; key mechanism in actuating relation with the main bar for moving said toothed member to cause it to actuate character forming wires; and shifting mechanism for relatively shifting the bars comprising said toothed member to change the grouping of the teeth of the toothed mem 7. Apparatus of the character described including a plurality of relatively movable character forming wires; and an actuating bar provided with teeth in actuating relation with certain (if saidwires to enable the formation of a character, said teeth being adapted to be changed in their relative positions thereby to enable the selection of wires of another grouping for the production oi another character. I

8. Apparatus of the character described including a plurality of relatively movable character forming wires; an actuating bar provided with teeth in actuating relation with certain of said wires to enable the formation of a character, said teeth being adapted to be changed in their relative positions thereby to enable the selection of wires of another grouping for the production of another character; and shifting mechanism for changing the relative positions of the teeth for the purpose stated.

9. Apparatus of the character described including a plurality of relatively movable character forming wires; an actuating bar provided with teeth in actuatingrelation with certain of said wires to enable the formation of a character, said teeth being adapted to be changed in their relative positions the'reby to enable the selection of wires of another grouping for the production of another character; and key mechanism for moving said bar to effect the movement of the selected character forming wires.

10. Apparatus of the character described including a plurality of relatively movable character forming wires; an actuating bar provided with teeth in actuating relation With certain of said wires to enable the formation of a character, said teeth being adapted to be changed in their relative positions thereby to enable the sclectiOn of wires of another grouping for the production of another character; shifting mechanism for changing the relative positions of the teeth for the purpose stated; and key mechanism for moving saichbar to ettect the movement of the selected character forming wires.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto subscribed my name this tlth day of December A. 1)., 1911.

'lIDllh'IAN M. LlLLlCBlCR-G. \Vitnesscs:

Enwann EimNs, Inomm OLSEN. 

